Well or cistern cover



(No Model.)

J. E. BLACKBURN.

WELL 0R GISTERN COVER.

No. 386,875. Patented July 17, 1888.

INVEJV'TGR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB E. BLACKBURN, OF FREDEBIOKTOVVN, OHIO.

WELL OR CISTERN COVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,375, dated July 17,1888.

Application filed September 28. 1887. Serial No.250,923. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Jiicon E. BLACKBURN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Fredericktown, in the county of Knox and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVell orOistern Covers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of mynew and improved well or cistern cover, showing the same fitted in itsoperative position around a wooden pump. Fig. 2 is a detail View of thecover, showing the twohalves or sections thereof separated. Fig. 3 is abottom plan view of the cover, showing its two halves hinged together.Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the cover and the upper part ofthe well or cistern taken on line 00 w of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows in detailthe grooved blocks or reducers, which are employed to fit around awooden pump. Fig. 6 shows in detail the blocks which are used around aniron pump, and Fig. 7 shows an inverted view of a portion of the twohalves of the cover.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My invention consistsina new and improved cover for wells or cisterns,which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates an ordinary wellor cistern, and B indicates the circular stone or brick work or wall, onwhich the cover is set in mortar.

My new and improved cover is formed in two halves or sections, 0 and D,and the outer edges of these halves are rounded, so that the completecover is round when the two halves are put together; or, when desired,the cover can be made square, with rounded corners. Each half of thecover is formed at the center of its straight edge E with a square, orrather rectangular, opening, F, so that when the two halves are puttogether with their straight edges in contact a square opening will beleft in the center of the cover.

Each half of the cover has cast on its under side the strengtheningribsG, the cover being formed of cast-iron, and around the upper edges ofthe central opening, F, of each half is cast an upwardly-proj ectingflange or shoulder, H, as shown. One half of the coveris intended toremain stationary, after being fitted into place over the mouth of thewell or cistern, and this stationary half 0 of the cover is cast on thelower part of its straight inner edge, E, with a horizontal flange, I,while the straight inner edge, E, of the other half, D, of the cover iscast on its under side with the downward projecting flange or rib J,leaving the horizontal flange or shoulder K, which fits and rests uponthe straight flange Iof the other half, 0, as shown. The flange I of thestation ary half is further east with the projecting hooks L L, havingthe upwardly-projecting points, while the downwardly'extending rib J ofthe other half, D, is cast with the smalllugs M M, forming between themthe seats N N, with and in which the hooks L L engage.

It will be seen that by this construction the stationary half 0 of thecover can be first secured in position, the wooden pump 0 beingmeanwhile braced, and after inserting in the opening F of this half thereducer-block, hereinafter described, the other half, D, can be easilyplaced in position without disturbing or twisting the pump, the flangeor shoulder K along the straight inner edge of the removable half Dfitting and resting closely on the straight flange I on the straightinner edge of the stationary half 0, with the hooks L L engaging withthe seats N N between the small lugs M M, by which construction thecover will be self-supporting at its center, as will be readily seen.

P P indicate the blocks which are used with a wooden pump. These blocksare cast of iron, and each ofthem is formed with a downwardlydependingflange, Q, around its outer edge, which extends down over and outside ofthe flange or shoulder H, that extends around the central opening of itshalf of the cover, while the square sides R of the castblock fit downsnugly inside of the square openings F of the cover. The top of eachblock is formed with a square,or rather rectangular, opening, S, so thatwhen the two blocks come together at their inner straight edges, T, asquare opening, U, is left for the wooden pump.

When the stationary half 0 of the cover has been secured in position,the block P is fitted down in the opening F of the same, with its inneropening, S, inclosing that side or half'of the braced wooden pump. Whenthe removable halfD is placed or fitted in position, and its block P isplaced in position, the two blocks P P will fit closely around thewooden pump.

It will be seen that when my new and improved cover is thus fittedaround a pump it will form asolid and perfect cover for the top ofthewell or cistern, and at the same time the removable half D of the covercan be readily lifted off when required, to furnish convenient access tothe interior of the well or cistern for any purpose without disturbingthe other half, O. The rounded outer edge of the cover is cast with adownwardly-extending strengthening-flange, V, and, the stationary lialfGof the cover is cast slanting slightly down toward its outer edge, sothat the rimflange V, which extends around it, projects with its upperedge a little above the top of this half, the halfof the cover beingthus given a slight slant, which will cause the waste water, which mayfall upon it from the pumpspout, to run down and ofl of the cover at onepoint through a small spout, IV, at the outer edge. straight edge ofthestationary half 0, has slight longitudinal grooves AAcastin its upperside, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, through which are carried off anywater that may fall upon the platform and get through thejoint of thetwo halves of the cover.

The inner edges of the block P on each side of the central opening arerecessed longitudinally on their upper sides to form the long shoulder Kand the flange K while the inner edges of the other block, P, arerecessed longitudinally on their lower side to form the projecting topedge flange, L, and shoulder M. It will be seen that by thisconstruction when the removable half D of the cover is fitted down theflange L and the block 1? will fit over the recessed inner edge of theblock P, and the water that may fall from the pump and get through thisjoint willbe caught in small longitudinal grooves O, which are formed inthe upper side of the flange K and carried off by the same. In the blockP is also formed the small vertical opening Q, in one side of theopening S, for the admission of any device that may be used in winter onthe pump-stock to open the hole of the pumpstock.

By constructing the cover as described and employing the blocks P P thecover can be placed closely around a Wooden pump of any size, as blocksP, having openings-of any desired size, can be used, as required, so asto fit closely around the pump. When the cover and blocks P P have beenfitted around the wood pump,the blocks are secured to the pump by meansof wood-screws, which can be screwed The lower horizontal flange, I, onthe through holes B B in the upwardly-project ing flange C, which iscast around the upper edge of the openings S of the blocks.

In cases where a metal pump is to be used in the well or cistern, theonly change that is necessary is to use instead of the metal blocks P Pwooden blocks D D, which are made of rectangular shape to fit closely inthe open ings F F in the halves of the cover, having. at their top edgesthe outwardly extending flanges E, which fit closely over and rest uponthe top of the upwardly-projecting rim-flanges H ofthe cover, while uponthe under side ofeach block is secured by screws a cross-piece, F, theprojecting ends of which fit under the bottom edge flanges, C of thecover-opening F, asshown in Fig. 6. These wooden blocks are forced intothe openings F F of the cover-sections, closing the said openings, sothat when the cover-sections are brought together only a small roundopening, H, is left in the center of the cover formed by the smallsemicircular vertical recesses or openings 1 I in the center of theinner sides of the wooden blocks, which fit closely around the ironpump, when any iron pump can be fitted tightly to the cover.

The inner upper edge of the block D is recessed longitudinally to leavethe longitudinal shoulder R and the lower flange, S. Theinner side ofthe block D is cut away from its lower edge up to within ashort distanceof its top to leave the projecting top flange, T.

It will be seen that when the block D has been inserted in the section 0of the cover, and the section D, in whichthe block D is secured, isplaced in position, the projecting top flange, T, on the inner side ofthe block D will fit closely over the recessed upper edge of the blockD, and the water that may fall from the pump and pass through this closejoint will be caught in small longitudinal grooves U,which are formed inthe upper side of the flange S, and will be carried off by the same. Inthe block D is formed a small vertical opening, V, in one side of theopening H, for the admission of any device that may be used in winter onthe pumpstock to open the hole of the pump-stock.

Where an endless-chain pump is to be used, I use the wooden blocks D Dabove described, and the part D of the cover is cast with a'hole, J.(Indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.)

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and advantages of my inventionwill be readily understood. It will be seen that my newand improvedmetallic cover for wells or cisterns is simple and very strong inconstruction, and exceedingly convenient and satisfactory in use. It canbe fitted to a pump of any size or kind, either wood or metal, by theuse of the metal or wooden blocks, as described, and the side D can beeasily removed,without disturbing the IIO pump, for the purpose ofgiving access to the interior of the well or cistern for repairing thepump or for any other purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a well or cistern cover, two halves, each of which is providedwith a central recess and a flange, one of the halves being furtherprovided with the lugs having seats or recesses between them, and theother half hav ing the hooks adapted to engage with the sides of thelugs, and the two blocks in the central recesses of the halves,substantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

2. In a well or cistern cover, the combination, with two halves, each ofwhich is provided with an upwardly-flanged recess at the middle of itsinner or straight side, of the retainer-blocks for fitting within saidrecesses, each of which has a downwardly-extending flange around itsouter edge adapted to fit over the upward flange around the recess ofthe cover, said blocks being further provided with a recess around whichis formed an upwardly-projecting flange for securing and retaining thepump in position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB E. BLACKBURN. l/Vitnesses:

ABRAHAM U. GEsT, JAMES M. BLAIR.

